Activation of the heat shock response in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy

Small Heat Shock Proteins: Protein Aggregation Amelioration and Neuro- and Age-Protective Roles

Protein misfolding, aggregation, and aberrant aggregate accumulation play a central role in neurodegenerative disease progression. The proteotoxic factors also govern the aging process to a large extent. Molecular chaperones modulate proteostasis and thereby impact aberrant-protein-induced proteotoxicity. These chaperones have a diverse functional spectrum, including nascent protein folding, misfolded protein sequestration, refolding, or degradation. Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) possess an ATP-independent chaperone-like activity that prevents protein aggregation by keeping target proteins in a folding-competent state to be refolded by ATP-dependent chaperones. Due to their near-universal upregulation and presence in sites of proteotoxic stress like diseased brains, sHsps were considered pathological. However, gene knockdown and overexpression studies have established their protective functions. This review provides an updated overview of the sHsp role in protein aggregation amelioration and highlights evidence for sHsp modulation of neurodegenerative disease-related protein aggregation and aging.

Exercise suppresses mouse systemic AApoAII amyloidosis through enhancement of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway

Exercise interventions are beneficial for reducing the risk of age-related diseases, including amyloidosis, but the underlying molecular links remain unclear. Here, we investigated the protective role of interval exercise training in a mouse model of age-related systemic apolipoprotein A-II amyloidosis (AApoAII) and identified potential mechanisms. Mice subjected to sixteen weeks of exercise showed improved whole-body physiologic functions and exhibited substantial inhibition of amyloidosis, particularly in the liver and spleen. Exercise activated the hepatic p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling pathway and the downstream transcription factor tumor suppressor p53. This activation resulted in elevated expression and phosphorylation of heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1), a chaperone that defends against protein aggregation. In amyloidosis-induced mice, the hepatic p38 MAPK-related adaptive responses were additively enhanced by exercise. We observed that with exercise, greater amounts of phosphorylated HSPB1 accumulated at amyloid deposition areas, which we suspect inhibits amyloid fibril formation. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the exercise-activated specific chaperone prevention of amyloidosis, and suggest that exercise may amplify intracellular stress-related protective adaptation pathways against age-associated disorders such as amyloidosis.

Mechanistic Insights into the Role of Molecular Chaperones in Protein Misfolding Diseases: From Molecular Recognition to Amyloid Disassembly

Age-dependent alterations in the proteostasis network are crucial in the progress of prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which are characterized by the presence of insoluble protein deposits in degenerating neurons. Because molecular chaperones deter misfolded protein aggregation, regulate functional phase separation, and even dissolve noxious aggregates, they are considered major sentinels impeding the molecular processes that lead to cell damage in the course of these diseases. Indeed, members of the chaperome, such as molecular chaperones and co-chaperones, are increasingly recognized as therapeutic targets for the development of treatments against degenerative proteinopathies. Chaperones must recognize diverse toxic clients of different orders (soluble proteins, biomolecular condensates, organized protein aggregates). It is therefore critical to understand the basis of the selective chaperone recognition to discern the mechanisms of action of chaperones in protein conformational diseases. This review aimed to define the selective interplay between chaperones and toxic client proteins and the basis for the protective role of these interactions. The presence and availability of chaperone recognition motifs in soluble proteins and in insoluble aggregates, both functional and pathogenic, are discussed. Finally, the formation of aberrant (pro-toxic) chaperone complexes will also be disclosed.

Unravelling protein aggregation as an ageing related process or a neuropathological response

Protein aggregation is normally associated with amyloidosis, namely motor neurone, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or prion diseases. However, recent results have unveiled a concept of gradual increase of protein aggregation associated with the ageing process, apparently not necessarily associated with pathological conditions. Given that protein aggregation is sufficient to activate stress-response and inflammation, impairing protein synthesis and quality control mechanisms, the former is assumed to negatively affect cellular metabolism and behaviour. In this review the state of the art in protein aggregation research is discussed, namely the relationship between pathology and proteostasis. The role of pathology and ageing in overriding protein quality-control mechanisms, and consequently, the effect of these faulty cellular processes on pathological and healthy ageing, are also addressed.

Hepatocyte-like cells reveal novel role of SerpinA1 in transthyretin amyloidosis

Transthyretin (TTR)-related familial amyloid polyneuropathy (ATTR) results from aggregation and extracellular disposition of misfolded TTR variants. Growing evidence suggests the importance of hepatic chaperones for modulation of pathogenesis. We took advantage of iPSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from ATTR patients (ATTR-HLCs) to compare chaperone gene expression to healthy individuals (H-HLCs). From the set of genes analyzed, chaperones that are predominantly located extracellularly were differently expressed. Expression of the chaperones showed a high correlation with TTR in both ATTR-HLCs and H-HLCs. In contrast, after TTR knockdown, the correlation was mainly affected in ATTR-HLCs suggesting that variant TTR expression triggers abberant chaperone expression. Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 1 (SERPINA1/alpha-1 antitrypsin) was the only extracellular chaperone that was markedly upregulated after TTR knockdown in ATTR-HLCs. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that SerpinA1 physically interacts with TTR. In vitro assays indicated that SerpinA1 can interfere with TTR aggregation. Taken together, our results suggest that extracellular chaperones play a crucial role in ATTR pathogenesis, in particular SerpinA1, which may affect amyloid formation.

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy in Portugal: New genes modulating age-at-onset

Objectives

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP ATTRV30M) shows a wide variation in age‐at‐onset (AO) between clusters, families, and among generations. We will now explore some candidate genes involved in altered disease pathways in order to assess their role as genetic modifiers of AO, using a family‐centered approach.

Methods

We analyzed 62 tagging SNPs from nine genes‐NGAL,MMP‐9,BGN,MEK1,MEK2,ERK1,ERK2,HSP27, and YWHAZ – in a sample of 318 V30M Portuguese patients (106 families), currently under follow‐up. A generalized estimating equation analysis was used to take into account nonindependency of AO between relatives. Also, an in silico analysis was performed in order to assess the functional impact of significant variants associated with AO.

Results

We found for the first time variants from six genes (NGAL,BGN (in the female group), MEK1,MEK2,HSP27, and YWHAZ) that were significantly associated with early‐ and/or late‐onset. Then, we confirmed a strong synergistic interaction between NGAL and MMP‐9 genes. Additionally, by an in silico analysis, we found some variants for MEK1 gene that may alter binding of the transcription factors and that influence the regulation of gene expression regarding microRNA binding sites and splicing regulatory factors.

Interpretation

These findings showed that different genetic factors can modulate differently the onset of disease's symptoms and revealed new mechanisms with clinical implications in the genetic counseling and follow‐up of mutation carriers and could contribute for development of potential therapeutical targets.

Systemic amyloidoses

The amyloidoses are a group of protein misfolding diseases in which the precursor protein undergoes a conformational change that triggers the formation of amyloid fibrils in different tissues and organs, causing cell death and organ failure. Amyloidoses can be either localized or systemic. In localized amyloidosis, amyloid deposits form at the site of precursor protein synthesis, whereas in systemic amyloidosis, amyloid deposition occurs distant from the site of precursor protein secretion. We review the type of proteins and cells involved and what is known about the complex pathophysiology of these diseases. We focus on light chain amyloidosis to illustrate how biochemical and biophysical studies have led to a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of this devastating disease. We also review current cellular, tissue, and animal models and discuss the challenges and opportunities for future studies of the systemic amyloidoses.

Why are some amyloidoses systemic? Does hepatic "chaperoning at a distance" prevent cardiac deposition in a transgenic model of human senile systemic (transthyretin) amyloidosis?

In the human systemic amyloidoses caused by mutant or wild-type transthyretin (TTR), deposition occurs at a distance from the site of synthesis. The TTR synthesized and secreted by the hepatocyte circulates in plasma, then deposits in target tissues far from the producing cell, a pattern reproduced in mice transgenic for multiple copies of the human wild-type TTR gene. By 2 yr of age, half of the transgenic males show cardiac deposition resembling human senile systemic amyloidosis. However, as early as 3 mo of age, when there are no deposits, cardiac gene transcription differs from that of nontransgenic littermates, primarily in the expression of a large number of genes associated with inflammation and the immune response. At 24 mo, the hearts with histologically proven TTR deposits show expression of stress response genes, exuberant mitochondrial gene transcription, and increased expression of genes associated with apoptosis, relative to the hearts without TTR deposition. These 24-mo-old hearts with TTR deposits also show a decrease in transcription of inflammatory genes relative to that in the younger transgenic mice. After 2 yr of expressing large amounts of human TTR, the livers of the transgenic mice without cardiac deposition display chaperone gene expression and evidence of an activated unfolded protein response, while the livers of animals with cardiac TTR deposition display neither, showing increased transcription of interferon-responsive inflammatory genes and those encoding an antioxidant response. With time, in animals with cardiac deposition, it appears that hepatic proteostatic capacity is diminished, exposing the heart to a greater load of misfolded TTR with subsequent extracellular deposition. Hence systemic (cardiac) TTR deposition may be the direct result of the diminution in the distant chaperoning capacity of the liver related to age or long-standing exposure to misfolded TTR, or both.

αB-crystallin (HspB5) in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy

The small heat shock protein αB-crystallin (HspB5) is known to be overexpressed in several neurodegenerative disorders. In familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by extracellular deposition of mutated transthyretin (TTR), activation of heat shock factor 1 -HSF1- by extracellular TTR deposition has been shown as well as induction of the expression of heat shock proteins, HSP27 and HSP70. Here we investigate the expression of αB-crystallin in FAP. We first detected αB-crystallin in aggregates extracted from tissues of both FAP patients and transgenic mice for the human V30M mutant TTR; however, subsequent studies by confocal fluorescence microscopy did not confirm the association of αB-crystallin with TTR aggregates; thus the presence of αB-crystallin in aggregate extracts might derive from the extraction procedure. Increased levels of αB-crystallin were observed by immunohistochemistry in human FAP skin, as compared to normal skin. Furthermore, skin, stomach and dorsal root ganglia from V30M transgenic mice showed increased expression of αB-crystallin as compared to controls without deposition. A human neuroblastoma cell line incubated with TTR aggregates displayed increased expression of αB-crystallin. Overall, these results show that extracellular TTR deposits induce an intracellular response of αB-crystallin. This small heat shock protein (HSP), which is important for anti-apoptotic and chaperone properties, may have a protective role in FAP.